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Friday, August 31, 2012

Today Nissan revealed the next generation Sentra. The 2013 Nissan Sentra now follows the design elements of the new Altima and Pathfinder. The exterior of the new Sentra is more upscale and luxurious than the outgoing model. The Sentra's headlights now come standard with LED running lights. Also standard are a 60/40 split rear seats, keyless entry, power windows, and a tilt & telescoping steering wheel. Options include NissanConnect, 8 speaker Bose audio system, backup camera, and Bluetooth connectivity. The Sentra competes against the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Kia Forte, Mazda3, and Ford Focus.

Nissan managed to make the '13 Sentra 150 lbs lighter than the outgoing model. Powering the new Sentra is a new 1.8L 4-cylinder engine producing 130 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque. The new engine is mated to the next generation Xtronic CVT that is found in the '13 Altima. Fuel economy is rated at 30 city and 39 hwy. Nissan has decided to ditch both the SE-R and SE-R Spec V models. The all new Sentra will go on sale this fall.

The Green Light: I think that the 2013 Nissan Sentra is definitely the best looking compact sedan out (it will definitely have competition when the redesigned Kia Forte arrives). The interior is greatly improved which was a sore spot of the last generation Sentra. I am quite disappointed with the engine choice and fuel economy. After driving the new Altima (Check out my review here) the weight loss does make a difference with power but I think that 130 hp is quite low. I expected the Sentra's fuel economy to be class leading. It only does the Altima up by 3 mpg in the city and 1 mpg on the hwy. I was surprised that Nissan decided to get rid of the SE-R models which have been around for quite some time. There will be a "sporty package" which will have the same 1.8L engine which to me doesn't make sense. But overall I think that Nissan finally gave the Sentra the attention that it needed.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The 2013 Nissan Altima is "all-new" for this year. I have never been a fan of the Altima because it looked too much like the Maxima, and was around the same size. I've driven the last generation Altima sedan and Coupe which weren't a favorite of mines. But the 2013 Altima has really changed my mind. The '13 Altima competes against the Toyota Camry, Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, redesigned Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, and Mazda6. There are three Altima models to choose from, 2.5, S, SV, and SL. My tester was an Altima SV that came in at $26,095.

Exterior
The 2013 Altima is the best looking Altima EVER!!! It is apparent that the Altima got it's design cues from the Maxima, Ellure concept, and the Infiniti M. The front of the Altima is bold and definitely makes a statement when you drive up. While driving throughout North Carolina I got many looks and stares but that could have been the Cayenne Red exterior color. Red has never been my color but I think the Altima looks best in this color. 17'' alloy wheels are standard as well as dual exhaust outlets.

Interior
The interior of the '13 Altima is a huge improvement over the last generation. There is a mix of soft touch materials and hard plastics throughout the cabin. The seats in the Altima are extremely comfortable and supportive. My passengers also thought the seats were some of the best seats they have sat in. In the backseat there is plenty of legroom and headroom. I had no complaints coming from my aunt who was sitting in the back. The buttons and knobs are easy to reach from the driver's seat and are of great quality. My tester came standard with a leather wrapped steering wheel which was easy to grip.

Tech

For a mid-level Altima there is quite a bit of tech. The '13 Altima comes with the Advanced Drive-Assist Display, Bluetooth hands-free and streaming audio, dual zone automatic temperature control, remote engine start, a 5" color display and Rearview monitor.

Safety
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System is a great addition to have. The horn will beep when you have reached the optimum pressure. The Altima comes with 6 airbags, ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Traction Control System (TCS).
The LATCH System was simple and easy. I had no trouble attaching and removing my cousin's car-seat.

Behind the Wheel
The '13 Altima is powered by either a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine producing 182 hp or a 3.5L V6 producing 270 hp. My tester was the 2.5L 4-cylinder engine mated to Nissan's new Xtronic CVT driving the front wheels. For all of the people that complain about CVTs you all need to drive the new Altima. Nissan's engineers did a hell of a job making the CVT flawless. I may get flack for saying this but at times I thought I was in a car with an conventional automatic transmission. The majority of my time behind the wheel I had the Altima shifted to Ds which made the Altima drive sportier. I did miss paddle shifters which would have been nice to have. I was in the '12 Altima a few months ago and the '13 Altima accelerated quicker and smoother. The Active Understeer Control worked really well. The '13 Altima was fun and enjoyable. I did not even think of wanting the bigger V6 engine. At one point my grandmother (who drives a '11 Infiniti EX35) said "is this a V6?" I achieved a combined 24 mpg during my time in the Altima but I expected it to be a little higher.

Overall
I now have a little soft spot in my heart for the '13 Altima. As much as I like the new Altima, the Maxima will always be my favorite Nissan sedan. But with high fuel costs I would definitely pick the Altima due to it's impressive MPG ratings. People should know that the Altima is not and I repeat is not a "sports sedan" but it is a sporty sedan. Having only driven the recent Kia Optima, and new Altima I am falling in love with the midsize sedan category. If you are in the market for a new midsize sedan then you should take a look at the new Altima. But for those who like the look of the upcoming Ford Fusion and Mazda6 I would suggest waiting until you drive both of those models. A 2013 Altima 2.5 base model starts at $21,500 and delivers 27 city and 38 hwy.

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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo will slot under the hot selling Fiat Abarth. The 500 Turbo will be powered by a turbocharged 1.4L engine producing 135 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. A 5-speed manual will be the only available transmission. The Turbo will receive upgraded CV joints, thicker half-shafts, and 11.1-inch front brake rotors. The 500 Turbo will resemble the Abarth's exterior, and come with 16-inch aluminum wheels.

Consumers can choose between 7 exterior colors. Cloth seats are standard, while leather is optional. The 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo will carry a base price of $19,500. Expect to see the 500 Turbo at dealerships this fall.

The Green Light: This was a great idea by Fiat to give consumers more options with the 500. With the 500 Abarth selling like hotcakes, I expect the Turbo models to sell well.

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The 2012 Chevy Impala is the first GM product I have driven. The Impala competes against the Nissan Maxima, Toyota Avalon, Hyundai Azera, and Ford Taurus. My tester was an Impala LT which stickers for a little over $28,000.

Exterior
To be honest, there is nothing attractive or eye-catching about the current generation Impala. The exterior is bland and does not hold its own against the competition. I am extremely happy that the next generation Impala is on its way. My tester came in Imperial Blue Metallic which is not one of my favorite colors.

Interior

After being inside of the 2014 Chevy Impala, I was very disappointed with my tester's interior. The interior definitely resembles the "Old GM". The materials throughout the cabin were mostly hard plastics. The seats in the Impala were comfortable and supportive. The most impressive aspect of the Impala was the amount of legroom and headroom. The knobs and buttons are dated but were easy to use. But for a vehicle that cost close to $30,000 I expect more luxurious touches.

Tech
The only tech in my tester was Bluetooth hands-free calling.

Behind the wheel
The Chevy Impala is powered by a 3.6L V6 engine producing 300 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Driving from NYC back home to North Carolina I wanted to see how the Impala would drive and handle. The power came on smoothly and was there every time I needed it. The Impala is not by any means sport and it showed due to the lack of steering feedback. The car soaked up the bumps in the road well. Visibility was good but having a Blindspot monitoring system would have helped.

Overall
I have never been interested in the Chevy Impala mainly because of it's exterior and interior design. After seeing the next generation Impala I am very excited for that vehicle. The next generation Impala can be competitive against the new competition. The V6 engine in the Impala was greatly needed and adds some life to the car when driving it. If you are interested in a vehicle with a strong engine, decent ride, good fuel economy, and don't care about exterior designs then check out the 2012 Chevy Impala. The base model 2012 Chevy Impala starts at $26,585 and delivers 18 mpg/city and 30mpg/hwy.

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Thursday, August 2, 2012

A teaser of the 2013 Nissan Sentra has been released. The Nissan Sentra in my opinion has fallen out of the spotlight for quite some time. I am loving what I see so far and think that Nissan wants to get back in the game. The compact sedan segment is just as important as the midsize segment and every automaker needs to bring their best product. The look of the Sentra looks similar to the '13 Altima and Versa. It looks more stylish than the outgoing model. It also looks like there will be an SR model as well for those Sentra SR fans.